Bob’s practice focuses on complex commercial and IP litigation in the Norfolk, VA area. Bob has lived and litigated in the Norfolk, Virginia area for over 30 years including frequently appearing in the Eastern District of Virginia “Rocket Docket” and regional State courts and authoring an annual “Rocket Docket” article in Law360 for 10+ years. Bob managed Hunton’s Norfolk office for years and his practice includes high stakes commercial litigation, intellectual property litigation (trade secret, false advertising, trademark, copyright and patent), products liability defense, and other significant disputes in the Eastern District of Virginia “Rocket Docket” and elsewhere. Bob has received numerous awards recognizing his excellence in multiple litigation fields and has been named by Virginia Business to its annual “Power List” identifying Virginia’s top 500 business leaders since its inception.

Bar Admissions

Education
JD, University of Virginia, Raven Society, Executive Editor, Virginia Tax Review, Class Vice President, 1989

MBA, Old Dominion University, 1986

BS, United States Naval Academy, 1979

• Won X-IT Products v. Walter Kidde, a copyright, trade dress, and patent trade secrets case, winning the then largest jury verdict in Virginia history ($116 million).
• Won Lake Wright Hospitality, LLC v. Holiday Hospitality Franchising, Inc., et al., defeating $16 million hotel franchise claim on summary judgment in federal court and winning award of $868,000 in attorneys' fees (2009).
• Won DACS, Inc. v. Sierra Shelving, et al., winning patent portfolio, award of product, and $450,000 fee award, and effectively shutting down competitive company in state court intellectual property dispute (2009).
• Won certiorari to the United States Supreme Court in Garris v. Norshipco, a maritime wrongful death case and later won defense judgment at trial, earning selection as one of the "top ten" defense wins in Virginia Lawyers Weekly.
• Won Ballard v. Sony Pictures Entertainment, obtaining dismissal of copyright and Lanham Act case regarding the movie “The Wedding Planner,” which grossed $97 million.
• Won seven figure settlement in Wood Logic v. Lehigh, a patent and trade secret case for the inventor of the “Woodpegger”.
• Won Matter of Earl Industries, B-309996 (November 5, 2007), a $60 million bid protest at GAO overturning award of contract for repair of the Navy’s East Coast Frigate fleet.
• Resolved Turner Construction Company v. Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, et al., on favorable terms for the Owner of $33 million construction dispute regarding Virginia Tech's football stadium after being hired by the Virginia Attorney General to represent the University (2009).
• Statewide Coordinating Counsel, Fortune 100 pharmaceutical company, regarding high profile prescription drug litigation.
• Defended wide range of clients in employment law and defamation disputes.
• Represented maritime clients include shippers, shipowners, shipyards, terminals, and equipment manufacturers in all aspects of maritime law and asbestos defense.
• Defended numerous consumer fraud cases.
• Long history of public service, serving as Commissioner of the Virginia Port Authority; Commissioner, Virginia Beach Resort Advisory Commission; and as a Captain and intelligence officer in the United States Naval Reserve.

• Member, Board of Visitors, Old Dominion University (2013-2017)
• Member, Board of Directors, Goodwill of Central and Coastal Virginia (2015 to date)
• Member, Board of Directors, Greater Norfolk Corporation (2016 to date)
• Chairman, Judicial Endorsement Panel, Virginia Beach General Assembly Delegation (2010 to date)
• Chairman, Judicial Recommendation Panel, Virginia Beach Bar Association, 2010
• Past President, Virginia Beach Bar Association and recipient of 2010 “Bar Service Award”
• Triton, Virginia Beach Neptune Festival, 2012
• Member, Intellectual Property Law Section, Virginia State Bar

• Founding Fellow, Litigation Counsel of America
• Leader in the Field, Intellectual Property and General Commercial Litigation, Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business, 2004-2015, 2017
• Selected for inclusion as a “Best Lawyer,” Litigation - Intellectual Property and Trade Secrets Law, The Best Lawyers in America, 2007-2017
• Selected as a “2013 Top Rated Lawyer in Commercial Litigation,” American Lawyer Media and Martindale-Hubbell
• Selected for inclusion as a Virginia “Super Lawyer,” Business Litigation, Virginia Super Lawyers, 2006-2017 
• Named among The Lawdragon 3000 Leading Lawyers in America, 2006
• AV® Peer Review Rated, Martindale-Hubbell
• Samaritan House, “100 Men Campaign” fighting domestic violence in Hampton Roads (2013, Inaugural Year)
• Navy Football, Holiday Bowl Champion and set numerous school records as Navy placekicker 

• Expert Analysis: ‘Rocket Docket’ Justifies Its Name For 11th Straight Year, Law360
• What Litigators Must Know About Va.'s 'Rocket Docket', Law360
• The Fastest Federal Trial Courts: A Look At Virginia, Florida, Law360
• The Last Voyage of Commander William Lewis Herndon, U.S. Naval Academy Alumni Association “Shipmate”
• How The ‘Rocket Docket’ Continues To Roar Through COVID, Law360
• Virginia ‘Rocket Docket’ Slowdown Is Likely A Blip, Law360
• The 9-Year Winning Streak of Virginia Rocket Docket, Law 360
• The ‘Rocket Docket’ Show Goes On Despite Setbacks, Law360
• Virginia’s ‘Rocket Docket’ Continues To Roar, Law360
• Still The Fastest Justice Anywhere, Law360
• The Fastest Federal Civil Court for a Decade, Law360
• The Fastest Rocket Docket For The 8th Straight Year, Law360
• 2015 Eastern District of Virginia Intellectual Property Year in Review